Tuesday, 7 October 2014

Kurdish community on hunger strike - come down to show support!‏

Dear all,

Members of the Kurdish community from across the UK have been on hunger strike outside 10 Downing Street for 5 days. For over 2 weeks, ISIS have laid siege to the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane and while the YPG and YPJ, along with hundreds of volunteers, have been putting up a fierce resistance, the Kurdish people of Rojava are in desperate need of international support.

The hunger strike will continue until tomorrow afternoon (Saturday). We call on all supporters of the Kurdish struggle for self-determination to come down to Whitehall in solidarity!


Kurdish hunger strikers stage protests seeking support against Isis jihadis
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/01/kurds-hunger-strike-downing-street-isis-uk


Members of the Kurdish diaspora have been staging protests and hunger strikes around the world in support of calls by Kurdish leaders in Syria for weapons to help their forces fighting Islamic State (Isis) in the besieged border town of Kobani, where they fear a massacre if support does not arrive soon.

While Kurds have taken to the streets of European cities, those in Britain have initiated a hunger strike close to the gates of Downing Street as part of a campaign calling for the UK to provide Kurdish forces with advanced weapons.

Volkan Celebi, a 22-year-old who travelled from Liverpool to take part in the hunger strike along with 29 others, said: “We are demanding heavy weapons and antitank missiles from the UK government and other European governments, not just the UK. We are just here and we will continue our hunger strike until we take it.”

Those taking part in the London protest include sympathisers of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organisation in many western states including the UK and has close links to the Kurdish Democratic Union party (PYD), a group representing Kurds in Syria. It says that its calls for arms have been rebuffed by the United States and European nations and blames Turkey for obstructing his efforts.

Turkey, a Nato member that shares a long border with Syria, has so far declined to take a frontline role, fearful that the military action will strengthen President Bashar al-Assad and bolster the Syrian Kurdish militants allied to the outlawed PKK in Turkey.
This is despite an advance in the past 10 days by Isis fighters against the Kurdish YPG forces, the armed wing of the PYD, at Kobani, near the frontier that has caused the fastest refugee exodus of the three-year civil war.

Saleh Muslim, head of the PYD, told Reuters during a diplomatic mission to Europe: “We are asking everybody who can help us to provide weapons to the people fighting against tanks and artillery, but nobody is doing anything. There will be many who are martyred.”

Isis has laid siege from three sides to Kobani, where a steady stream of people, mostly men, have been crossing the border back into Syria, apparently to help defend the town. Muslim said most of them were originally from the area and had returned to defend the city after earlier fleeing to Turkey. He said that Turkey was preventing some fighters from entering Syria.

Evrim Yilmaz, 36, a politics student at the University of London’s Soas and a member of Roj Women, a Kurdish grassroots women’s rights movement based in London, said: “Up to 2,000 women [have been] kidnapped and raped by Isis. We want our women back. All countries have a responsibility to find them and bring our women to us.”

The UK began providing heavy machine guns and ammunition last month to forces from the Kurdish regional government who are fighting Isil in Iraq.

ISIS gangs prepares for Grand Genocide in Kobane!‏

URGENT CALL
ISIS gangs prepares for Grand Genocide in Kobane!

On the evening of 1 October 2014, ISIS gangs launched an intense attack aiming to take over the city centre of Kobane, in Western Kurdistan (Syria) from west, south and east fronts. With the help of heavy artillery and tanks, ISIS gangs have advanced their way near Kobane city, especially from South front. The attacks, started 15th September, are now at most dangerous stage!

The ISIS gangs have been financed mainly by Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who have provided them with logistics, weapons, ammunition and thousands of members. Their main aim to attack Kurdish people and Kurdish land, starting with Kobane, has now reached a critical point!

The Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, YPG and YPJ, are fighting a heroically historic battle against ISIS gangs, the enemy of humanity. Western countries, who also sees ISIS as an enemy of humanity and who has set up an anti ISIS coalition are yet failing to help Kurds fighting against ISIS. 
Chairman of Kobane Canton, MrEnver Muslim calls the international Powers to break their silence! He said;  “If ISIS enters Kobane and commits a massacre all international powers will be hold responsible."
Supporting the Kurdish People Protection Units, YPG and YPJ, resistance against ISIS gangs in Kobane, would only mean supporting the humanity and peace!

We urgently call to the international public to show their support to the Kurdish people, by calling their governments and institutions, to act now and support Kurdish people in this urgent situation of a possible massacre!



Kurdistan National Congress, KNK
http://www.kongrakurdistan.net/en/isis-gangs-prepares-for-grand-genocide-in-kobane/

Kurds to go on hunger-strike in front of 10 Downing Street‏

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
28.09.2014, London
 
Kurds to go on hunger-strike in front of 10 Downing Street on Monday 29th September at 7pm until Saturday 4th October, when they will march into Central London.

Since 15th September ISIS has intensified its attacks against the Kurdish population in Rojava (West Kurdistan/Northern Syria) and seized control of 60 villages near the border in a two-day campaign as they approach the town of Kobanê. Kobanê is Syria's third-largest Kurdish town and would give the Islamic State (ISIS/IS) control of a long stretch of the country's northern border with Turkey.
ISIS terrorists, militarily, logistically and politically supported by NATO member Turkey and funded by Saudi Arabia and Qatari States (despite them being in the coalition), are using US made heavy artillery and weapons seized from Iraq and Syria. ISIS has already taken over Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul, declaring an ‘Islamic Caliphate’ in the region and have displaced 500,000 Yazidi Kurds in Sinjar and kidnapped 3,000 women who are being sold as sex slaves. Thousands of children, disabled people and elderly have been kidnapped and executed in the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria. Kobanê is under the threat of massacre as happened in Sinjar. At the same time Turkish soldiers have been attacking people trying to cross the border of Kobanê -Suruc. So far one person has been killed and many wounded.

Turkey’s ultimate plan is to occupy Rojava Kurdistan by forcing international powers to create a buffer zone in this region. In this way they wish to terrorise the legitimate self-determination right of the Kurdish people in Turkey and Syria. 

The US and EU-led ‘anti-ISIS’ coalition has not intervened despite witnessing the ongoing massacre of Kurds in Rojava. US airstrikes in Northern Syria have only helped to intensify ISIS attacks against Kobanê because ISIS terrorists fleeing the bombed area of Raqqa have moved to attack Kobanê. The coalition has also disregarded the Kurdish people’s appeal for help, despite the urgent need for humanitarian and military support. We are very concerned that the approach of international powers is leaving hundreds of thousands Kurdish civilians face-to-face with massacre.

This is why we will be going on a hunger strike in front of 10 Downing Street on the evening of Monday 29th September until the afternoon of Saturday 4th October, to raise awareness and demand that the UK government support the Kurdish resistance. 
OUR APPEAL:
The UK Government must provide the Kurdish forces with advanced weapons.
The UK, EU and US must officially recognise the three cantons declared as autonomous regions in Rojava Kurdistan (Northern Syria). 
The UK government must enforce an embargo against all the states that support ISIS, beginning with Turkey.
NATO must stop its member Turkey aiding and arming ISIS immediately. 
The UN must not permit a Buffer Zone on Kurdish land proposed by Turkey who openly supports ISIS.
The UN and international women’s organisations must investigate the situation of kidnapped women and begin a plan of action for their rescue.
 

THE RESISTANCE & DEFENCE OF KOBANE IS THE RESISTANCE & DEFENCE OF HUMANITY!

UK Kurdish Assembly, Free Youth Movement, Roj Woman’s Association
Contact: 07506702697 / 07886922790

Petition for Kobane signed by 200 Turkish intellectuals‏

Dear friends, 

Please see the attached statement made
On 27th September related to ISIS and the siege of Kobane (Ayn al-Arab) in the Kurdish
region across the border between Turkey and Syria. It was signed by 200
Turkish academics and civil society activists (the list is in the
attachment).
 
"We believe that joining our voices to loudly condemn the atrocities
committed by ISIS has become a requirement for peace and democracy in our
region. The fact that ISIS receives support from some Muslims within and
outside the region does not render this entity legitimate. In fact, for the
overwhelming majority of Muslims the main concern should be the fact that
ISIS is using religious values and symbols in its barbaric acts. ISIS, which
emerged in the environment of social and political chaos in Iraq and Syria
and extended it territorial control with the claims of establishing a
caliphate order, is imposing a cruel fundamentalism and commits a myriad of
crimes against humanity. It is massacring Shiites, Christians, Ezidis, all
who do not accept to be subordinated to its own primitive creed. Its
practices include raping women and selling them as slaves.
       
Through the power struggles in the Middle East, sectarian and radical Islam
was tolerated and at times even supported. ISIS is a product of these
political processes. Against the expressions of sectarianism, discrimination
and violence in the name of any religion or sect, it is therefore all the
more significant to embrace and defend secular political norms defined by
the respect for peace and freedom for all.

We should not forget that a democratic political outlook that promotes the
values of democracy and freedom is the only guarantee for the peaceful
coexistence of different communities practicing their own religion.
 
It could not be overlooked that political calculations of Turkey had also a
role in the development of this monstrous political formation created by the
hegemonic powers, the USA in particular. Turkish government, while
initiating negotiations with domestic Kurdish opposition, sought to stifle
the political gains by the Syrian Kurds and collaborated with the
reactionary elements in the Syrian opposition. The ISIS assault on Kobane
marks the intersection of the regional crisis and domestic conflicts in
Turkey. Turkish government could not absolve itself of its political
responsibilities by providing humanitarian aid to the people of Kobane
fleeing from ISIS.
 
We believe that we are obliged to oppose ISIS in the name of human values of
peace and freedoms as well as for the defense of Kurdish rights. Those of us
who live in Turkey feel particularly responsible to stand up against the
attempts to strangle Kurds and expel them from their homes right across our
border. At the moment, the position that Turkish government takes towards
the attacks against Kobane constitutes a particularly serious threat to the
peaceful solution of the Kurdish conflict in Turkey.
 
The recently launched military operation against ISIS should not divert our
attention and lead us to forget the importance of solidarity with the
threatened peoples of the region in general and the Kurds of Kobane in
particular. The people of Kobane need our support and we need the values
that enable the peaceful co-existence of different communities in Kobane.

We therefore call Turkish people as well as all international organizations,
the United Nations in particular, to take a strong position in defense of
Kobane."

Signed by:
Akın Atalay
Aslıhan Gürbüz
Prof.Dr.Ayşe Buğra
Ayşe Günaysu
Ayşe Hür
Prof.Dr.Ayşe Erzan
Doç.Dr. Ayşe Gül Altınay
Ayşegül Devecioğlu
Doç.Dr.Ayşen Uysal
Prof.Dr. Ayla Zirh Gürsoy
Yard.Doç. Aylin Ünaldı
Ayhan Bilgen
Adem Yıldırım
Adnan Gerger
Aydın Erdoğan
Ahmet Say
Prof.Dr.Ahmet İnsel
Ahmet Tulgar
Prof.Dr.Ali Nesin
Ali Akay
Alper Açık
Prof.Dr.Arif Berberoğlu
Aydın Çubukçu
Aydın Engin
Doç.Dr.Ayşen Candaş
Azad Zal
Bahri Bayram Belen
Yrd.Doç.Barış Büyükokutan
Prof.Dr.Baskın Oran
Doç.Dr.Burcu Yakut-Cakar
Yrd.Doç.Bediz Yılmaz
Prof.Dr. Berna Kılıç
Prof.Dr. Betül Tanbay
Prof.Dr.Büşra Ersanlı
Cafer Solgun
Cansu Akbaş Demirel
Prof.Dr.Cem Terzi
Yrd.Doç.Ceren Özselçuk
Cevat Öneş
Cengiz Aktar
Cengiz Çandar
Celal Korkut Yıldırım
Celalattin Can
Çiğdem Demirci
Çiya Mazi
Defne Asal
Doç.Dr. Deniz Yükseker
Dennis Berk Simon
Elçin Aktoprak
Eren Keskin
Yrd. Doç. Erdem Yörük
Erdoğan Aydın
Erhan Yalçındağ
Erkan Can
Yrd.Doç.Esra Mungan
Eşber Yağmurdereli
Evren Hoşgör
Fahri Aral
Fehim Işık
Fehim Taşdekin
Prof.Dr.Ferhat Kentel
Prof.Dr.Ferhunde Özbay
Doç.Dr.Ferdan Ergut
Feridun Koç
Feryal Saygılıgil
Feryal Karakulak
Fethiye Çetin
Feyyaz Yaman
Doç.Dr.Fikret Başkaya
Prof.Dr.Fikret Adaman
Garo Paylan
Gaye Yılmaz
Gayi Boralıoğlu
Prof.Dr. Gencay Gürsoy
Gülten Kaya
Gün Zileli
Güney Özkılınç
Gürel Tüzün
Gülseren Onanç
Prof.Dr. Gülhan Türkay
Yrd.Doç. Güven Gürkan Öztan
Prof.Dr. Hacer Ansal
Hakan Tahmaz
Hakan Altınay
Prof.Dr.Hale Bolak Boratav
Halide Yıldırım
Halime Güner
Hayko Bağdat
Hazel Başköy
Hülya Gülbahar
Işın Eliçin
Prof.Dr. İbrahim Kaboğlu
İbrahim Betil
İbrahim Doğangül
İhsan Eliaçık
Prof.Dr.İrfan Açıkgöz
İshak Karakaş
Prof.Dr.İzzetin Önder
Jaklin Çelik
Prof.Dr.Jale Parla
Jülide Kural
Kaan Urgancıoğlu
Kani Beko (DİSK Gen.Bşk.)
Kaya Akkaya
Yrd.Doç. Kenan Ateş
Kemal Parlak
Kenan Kocatürk
Kenan Türkoğlu
Kerem Fırtına
Prof.Dr. Kıvanç İnelmen 
Doç.Dr.Koray Çalışkan
Korhan Gümüş
Lal Laleş
Lal Denizli
Lami Özgen ( KESK Gen.Bşk.)
Mahir Günşıray
Mehmet Faruk Kesici
Mehmet Rasgelener
Mehmet Ufuk Peker
Prof.Dr. Mehmet Türkay
Mehmet Ural, Melek Özman
Menderes Samancılar 
Meral Tamer
Prof.Dr.Meryem Koray
Prof.Dr. Mine Eder
Murat Birdal
Prof.Dr. Murat Sevinç
Doç.Dr. Murat Paker
Yrd.Doç. Murat Koyuncu
Mustafa Sener
Müge Sökmen
Nazan Yaman
Nebahat Akkoç
Necmiye Alpay
Necati Abay
Neşe Erdilek
Prof.Dr.Nuray Mert
Doç.Dr.Nuri Ersoy
Prof.Dr.Nükhet Sirman
Orhan Alkaya
Orhan Esen
Orhan Silier
Osman Kavala
Osman İşçi
Oya Baydar
Oya Özarslan
Doç.Dr.Ozan Erözden
Prof.Dr.Öğet Öktem Tanör
Ömer Furkan Özdemir
Önder Çakar
Özcan Yaman
Özgür Müftüoğlu
Yrd.Doç.Özlem Albayrak
Rahmi Emeç
Rıza Kocaoğlu
Sarp Akkaya
Seçkin Özsoy
Sefa Feza Arslan
Yrd.Doç. Selim Temo
Prof.Dr. Selim Badur
Semih Poroy
Semih Sökmen
Doç.Dr. Semra Somersan
Seren Yüce
Doç.Dr.Serra Müderrisoğlu
Prof.Dr. Serpil Sancar
Sevil Demirci
Prof.Dr. Seyfettin Gürsel
Seyfi Öngider
Prof.Dr.Sibel Irzık
Prof.Dr. Sibel İnceoğlu
Suavi
Şaban Akbaba
Prof. Dr. Şahika Yüksel
Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı
Doç.Dr.Şebnem Oğuz
Prof.Dr. Şemsa Özar
Şilan Yıldız
Tan Morgül
Prof. Dr. Tahsin Yeşildere
Tayfun Mater
Tatyos Bebek
Turgut Kazan
Tuncay Birkan
Vedat Türkali
Ufuk Uras
Uluç Bayraktar
Ülkü Güney
Vasıf Kortun
Vedat İlbay
Prof.Dr.Veli Deniz
Doç.Dr.Yasemin Özgün
Yasemin Ahi
Doç.Dr.Yıldız Silier
Prof.Dr.Zelal Ekinci
Doç.Dr.Zeynep Kadirbeyoğlu
Zeynep Tanbay
Doç.Dr.Zeynep Gambetti
Ziya Halis